Snapchat wasn’t built for brands, and it barely behaves like a typical social platform. Whereas Facebook and Instagram are highly polished, edited, and require labor intensive content development, Snapchat is raw, candid, and in-the-moment.

Snapchat offers a fair share of challenges for brands looking to jump on the platform, but in return, it offers a level of intimacy no other platform can deliver.

What you lose in sharing high-quality content, you gain in perceived spontaneity and creativity. People aren’t looking for perfection on Snapchat – they’re looking for clever, entertaining, and exciting content that feels special because it was created specifically for them. So embrace the doodles, the messiness and offer the spontaneity and access fans are looking for.

Here are 4 tips for how brands can win on Snapchat

1.Social Exclusives

Provide special content that fans can only find on the Snapchat platform, whether behind the scenes shots, shareable or engaging content.

Best-in-class Example:

As one of the first brands to make a successful play on Snapchat, Taco Bell has kept its best-in-class status by handing over the keys to its account to a dedicated in-house team of two, twenty-somethings who craft content specifically for the “Stories” section of the platform three times a week. Offering a mix of real-time and more thought-out content, Snapchat has emerged as the most engaging platform for the brand.

2.Product Launches

Leverage Snapchat to provide new product previews to get fans excited.

Best-in-class Example:

McDonald’s made a big splash when it launched on Snapchat by partnering with LeBron James to announce the new Bacon Clubhouse Sandwich. And they haven’t stopped there – from first reveals (think all day breakfast) to special chances to win, celebrity appearances to branded filters, McDonald’s keeps fans engaged and entertained.3. Special Offers

GrubHub surprises followers with a discount offer to be used on their next order. The catch – fans must watch the full story as pieces of pizza are eaten up to reveal the special code.

4. Contests

Implement short-lived opportunities to win (think “today only!”) that take advantage of the fast pace of the platform and force fans to take immediate action.

Best-in-class Example:

Sephora was one of the first brands to use Snapchat for promotion, launching its Snapchat in fall of 2014. In the sweepstakes below, followers are encouraged to add the brad on Snapchat, take a picture of themselves and draw fake eyebrows on the photo through the app's doodle feature. The picture would then be sent to Sephora's Snapchat account and then uploaded to their Instagram using the hashtag #SephoraSnapsSweeps. Winners were picked at random and received a $500 gift card to Sephora. TLDR: The golden rule to developing branded content on Snapchat is to create content unique to the platform and give fans a reason to engage.

Have you seen great examples of brands on Snapchat? Share in the comments section below.